The Dodgers’ Justin Turner gets a hit off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Anderson to reach base on a fielding error by left fielder Matt Holliday in the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Rich Hill (44) looks on as Colorado Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon (19) rounds second base after hitting a home run in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

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The Dodgers’ Justin Turner gets a hit off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Anderson to reach base on a fielding error by left fielder Matt Holliday in the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black (10) gets the ball from starting pitcher Tyler Anderson (44) as he pulls him in the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Chad Bettis delivers in the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Manny Machado, right, slides into home plate, knocking the ball out of Colorado Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta’s glove, to score in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black, right, talks with starting pitcher Tyler Anderson, left, in the dugout after the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Anderson (44) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

Held to six runs on 14 hits in the first two games of the series, the Dodgers had more runs and just as many hits in one game Sunday. Justin Turner led the way, reaching base six times in the game as the Dodgers built a six-run lead then held on to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-6 Sunday afternoon.

By taking two of three in the weekend series at Coors Field, the Dodgers left Denver just a half-game behind the first-place Rockies. They turned away from their fantasy football concerns long enough to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks on the clubhouse TVs after the game and saw the Diamondbacks blow a ninth-inning lead and fall 2-1/2 games back in the division.

“It was a big series for us obviously. We’re trying to chase those guys down,” Turner said of the closer-less visit to Coors Field.

“We swung at good pitches and got good results. Just the opposite of last night. But I guess that’s because we were cold last night.”

Turner’s temperature update was a good-natured reference to his vigorous rejection of a postgame suggestion following Saturday’s loss that the Dodgers’ offense has run hot and cold this season. Sunday could be seen as further evidence. After scoring 35 runs in the previous 10 games, Sunday was the 10th time in 47 games since the All-Star break that the Dodgers scored eight or more in a game.

Turner has not been prone to the swings. He had a single, two doubles, reached on a three-base error by Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday, was intentionally walked and hit a two-run home run Sunday. In 35 games since the All-Star break, he is batting .385 with a 1.182 OPS (.474 on-base, 708 slugging percentages).

“It’s hard to quantify (his value),” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “You can look at the numbers which are great. But there’s probably been a couple, few at-bats that have been bad at-bats since the break. That in itself is tough on any player mentally.

“But to do that and have intent on every pitch … he’s been fantastic.”

It is an MVP-level performance if too short to push Turner into the conversation for the National League award. But Turner has put questions about his physical limitations this season following a spring wrist injury to bed.

“I feel healthy. That’s probably the most obvious answer,” Turner said when asked to explain his second-half surge. “A little flip-flop in the lineup, flipping me and Manny around (Turner batting second, Machado third). Things have gone really well since that happened. It’s always good to hit in front of a guy that’s got 35 homers and close to 100 RBI, a professional hitter like him.”

Machado had an RBI double in the first inning. Kiké Hernandez joined in with a solo home run in the second as the Dodgers drove Rockies starter Tyler Anderson from the game in the third.

Chris Taylor had a two-run double in the fifth and Turner’s home run came in the sixth, building an 8-2 lead for the Dodgers.

That lead began to feel the shrinking effect of high altitude in the sixth inning. Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run off Pedro Baez and Charlie Blackmon hit his second home run of the game in the eighth off rookie left-hander Caleb Ferguson to briefly make it a two-run game.

Kenta Maeda came in and walked Arenado to bring the tying run to the plate before getting out of the eighth.

Hernandez restored some of that cushion in the ninth, leading off with a triple and scoring on an RBI single by Alex Verdugo. Maeda gave up a leadoff single to Ian Desmond before Scott Alexander retired the side to close it out.

With closer Kenley Jansen back in California on doctor’s orders, the Dodgers’ bullpen met the challenge of Coors Field, allowing just those two runs Sunday in nine innings this weekend.

Given the disastrous results when Jansen missed the Dodgers’ August visit to Coors Field – and the string of bullpen nightmares that followed — this weekend could be seen as a three-day affirmation for the rest of the relievers.

“It’s a long season with a lot of ups and downs,” Alexander said. “Sometimes it happens at the same time and that makes it look a lot worse than it really is. I don’t think any of us ever lost confidence.”

Bill Plunkett has covered everything from rodeo to Super Bowls to boxing (yeah, I was there the night Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear off) during a career that started far too long ago to mention and eventually brought him to the OC some time last century (1999 actually). He has been covering Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register since 2003, spending time on both the Angels and Dodgers beats.